Bacteria is the No. 1 pollutant of Texas water bodies, with 255 water bodies failing to meet water quality standards because of bacteria.

Bacterial source tracking (BST) is a valuable tool that can identify, and also rule-out, significant sources of E. coli pollution in a watershed. Using DNA fingerprints and bacterial markers, fecal pollution sources are identified by comparing E. coli DNA to those in a statewide library of known sources.

Bacterial source tracking can:

Identify primary sources of E. coli

Illustrate the relative abundance of E. coli from identified sources

Determine the presence or absence of major watershed sources

Inform watershed management decisions

Allow resources to be used wisely and focused where pollutant reductions are needed most

The Texas Bacterial Source Tracking Program is a joint program of the Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health in El Paso.

TWRI and the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute are working together to foster and communicate research and educational outreach programs focused on water and natural resources science and management issues in Texas and beyond.